Show-case.



H. 0. WALLACE. SHOW CASE.

I APPLICATION FILED 0012s, 1999. Patented June 28 1910' 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. 0. WALLACE.

SHOW CASE.

APPLIGATIQN FILED OUT. 6, 1909. 962,933. Patented June 28,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fiww 7' a Jf/JM 32M 79 fim'wis" amzzaw,

H. C. WALLACE.

SHOW CASE.

- v APPLICATION FILED OUT. 6, 1909. 962,933. Patented June 23, 1910.

3 sums-sum s.

EW a QRAHAM cu PHOTO-LITMOGRAFHER5, WASHMTON. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWES G. WALLACE, 01? DENVER, COLORADO.

SHOW-CASE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Howns C. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in show cases and it consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line a2m of Fig. 3, Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line yy of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4L is a perspective view of one of the depending bars forming a part of the carrier, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the end plates of the carrier, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the complete carrier which I employ in carrying out my invention.

The object of my invention is to provide an attractive and practical construction in show cases whereby the cigars or other articles contained within the case and desired to be displayed are continuously exposed to view when the case is closed and further by this construction a greater economy of space is obtained and the cigars or other articles displayed to a better advantage and the invention consists of many other features as will appear from the following detailed description.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents a suitable case or housing of any desirable shape and is preferably provided with a transparent glass front which is composed of two glass panels 22 having a glass door centrally located between said panels and adapted to be opened in the direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1.

Mounted in the lower portion of the base of the case 1 is an electric motor 4, the drive shaft 5 of which is journaled in suitable bearings 6-6 and fixed to said shaft is a worm pinion 7 which meshes with a worm wheel 8 secured to a transverse shaft 9 one end of which is journaled in a bearing 10 and having its opposite end journaled in a suitable bearing 11 fixed to one side of the casing. Also journaled within the casing 1 and at a suitable distance from the base Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 6, 1909.

Patented June 28, 1910.

Serial No. 521,242.

thereof is a long transverse shaft 12 the opposite ends of which are loosely mounted in bearings 13 also fixed to the opposite sides of the casing 1 and fixed to said shaft adjacent to one side of the casing is a sprocket wheel 1% over which an endless sprocket chain 15 passes, the latter also meshing with and passing over a similar sprocket wheel 15 fixed to the short transverse shaft 9 whereby motion is imparted to the shaft 12 from the motor 4.

Fixed to the opposite sides of the casing 1 and adjacent to the top thereof are two spindles 16 on which are loosely mounted ball bearing sprocket wheels 17 over which the endless sprocket chains 18 pass and over similar sprocket wheels 19 fixed to the long transverse shaft 12 by means of which motion is imparted to the various carriers carried by the sprocket chains 18, the construction of which will be hereinafter described.

The carriers 20 are all similarly constructed and consist each of two plates 21 having right angular extensions 22 projecting from one side thereof, the horizontal portion of said right angular extensions having elongated openings 23 through which the lower ends of the depending bars 24 loosely pass, the lower ends of the latter being movably secured to the side of the plates by pins 25, and formed in the vertical portions of the right angular extensions 22 are formed semi-circular slots 26 through which screw-threaded lugs 27 pass, the latter being provided with thumb-nuts 28 Whereby the bars 24: are held in any desired position in respect to the plates 21 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Secured to the bars 24 midway between the ends of the same are arms which are held in a rigid position by the connected braces 30, and connecting the projecting ends of the arms 29 are rods 31 which support and hold in position the lids of the various boxes of cigars that may be placed upon the carriers as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Each carrier is composed of two upper rods 32 and two lower rods 33 the opposite ends of which are rigidly secured to the opposite plates 21 of the carrier, the

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the sprocket chains 18 are each provided with lugs 34 preferably arranged at regular intervals apart and located opposite one another to which are removably attached the upper ends of the bars 24 of the carriers whereby the latter are always allowed to assume a hanging position in respect to the chains thus holding the boxes of cigars or other articles to be displayed always in the same position as the various carriers are exposed to view from the front of the case.

By the construction of the carrier as herein shown and described the cigar boxes or other articles that are to be displayed may be given any desired angle or inclination independently of one another as shown in the various positions in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the same being accomplished by loosening the thumb nuts 28 upon the screwthreaded lug 2? thus relieving the friction of the several connecting parts and permitting the bar 24 to be moved in any position in respect to the plate 21, the elongated slot 23 through which the said bar loosely passes limiting the movement of said parts and holding the same in the proper position with respect to one another. lVhen the cigar boxes are placed in their proper position within the carriers end to end, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the bottoms of said boxes will rest upon the rods 33 and the opposite sides of the same will be embraced by the rods 32 thus holding said boxes in a rigid position within the carrier, the lids 36 of the boxes resting upon the bars 81 carried by the arms 29 of said carriers.

In the present construction of show case I have contemplated a continuous movement of the carriers only to be interrupted or brought to a stationary position by opening the door 3 when it is desired to remove a cigar or other article from any one of the carriers. This automatic feature of the case I obtain in a very simple and practical way. The feed wires 37 leading from any source of electrical energy are connected to suitable contacting plates or buttons 38 which are carried by the door 3, and fastened to the case 1 in any mechanical and desirable manner are similar contacting plates or buttons 39 to which are attached one end of the feed wires 40 leading to the motor 4 located within the case 1. Thus it will be seen that when the case is closed or the door thereof, the contact plates or buttons 38 and 39 are brought in contact with one another and thereby the electrical current is maintained and uninterrupted through the wires leading from the source of electrical energy to the motor, but, when said door 3 is opened for removing the contents or any ortion thereof from one or more of the carrlers the electrical current is automatically broken and said plates or buttons removed from contact with one another. If desired, a spring 40 may be used such as shown in Fig. 1 or the hinges for said door may be of the usual spring hinge type for automatically closing the door after the customer has helped himself. This insures the positive working of the carrier at all times when the door is released by the customer. When the door 3 is in its closed or normal position the current of electrical energy is imparted to the motor 4 which in turn rotates the short shaft 5 and likewise the worm pinion 7 which meshes with the worm gear 8. Thus it will be seen that the endless sprocket chain 15 is set in motion by the sprocket wheel 15 fixed to the shaft 9 which in turn rotates the sprocket wheel 14 over which the said chain passes thus revolving the long transverse section 12 and the sprocket chains 18 which in turn give a vertical motion to the various holders or supports forming a part of the carriers all of which is accomplished by the construction and arrangement of parts as previously described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the show case as constructed could be made sufficiently large to answer for the usual counter commonly employed in stores and further if not desired to be used for such purposes can be set against the wall thereby economizing the space to a greater advantage, one of the principal objects however, is to expose the entire contents of the case to the view of the purchaser and by the I do not limit myself to the precise con- 1 struction and arrangement as herein shown and described and it is evident that the same may be modified and changed in many respects without departing from the nature of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what is claimed is- In a show case, a .carrier comprising a series of holding devices similarly constructed, each of which consists of opposite side plates, rods connecting the same for holding and supporting the articles to be displayed, right angular extensions forming a part of said plates and having each elongated openings formed in the horizontal portions thereof, the vertical portions of said plates being provided with curved slots, bars movably attached to said carrier at suitable intervals apart, the lower ends of said bars passing through said elongated openings and being movably connected to the plates below the rod connecting the opposite ends of said 10 right angular extensions, screw threaded arms, as and for the purpose described.

lugs or studs carried adjacent to the lower In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ends (if said bars and passing through said in presence of two witnesses.

curvec s ots, binding nuts adapted to be secured upon said screw-threaded lugs for HOWES WALLACE holding the plates in a desired position, arms Witnesses: rigidly fixed to the bars at a suitable dis- HENRY L. RUPERT, tance below their upper pivotal ends, and a l CHAS. E. DRESSLER. 

